Drawer slide



M. H. ,RAKOW May 1l, 1943.

DRAWER SLIDE Filed Sept. 30, 1940 `being broken away to enable showing the same Patented May 1l, 1943 DRAWER SLIDE Melvin H. Rakow, Elgin, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Acme Visible Records, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application September 30, 1940, Serial No. 359,005

"9 claims. (c1. i5-77)..

v This invention relates to drawer slides and is more particularly concerned with one designed for use with the drawers of sheet metal cabinets.

An outstanding objection'to previous drawer slides has been the noisy operation of rollers and the fact that grit and dirt interfere with easy rolling action, and most roller type drawer slides accordingly work harder'than would be expected considering the anti-friction purpose of the rollers,v and such slides also wear out quickly due to the same cause. The instability of the drawers supportedon rollers has been another objection and has necessitated special provisions to prevent drawers from drifting open when closed. It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide ber slide blocks instead of rollers in connection with sheet metal drawerslides 'to overcome the objections mentioned, namely, to provide for easy andquiet operation while at the same time providing for the clearing away of grit and dirt from the Atrack surfaces in the slides in the relative 4movement between the slide blocks 'andthe slides, the liber of the blocks, in addition to giving quiet operation by reason of the avoidance of metal to metal contact, being of advantage from the standpoint of giving greater resistance tofwear. The surface to surface engagement of the blocks with the track surfaces makes for greatly reduced unit bearingV pressure and thereby reduces the tendency tovwear, whilefat the same time 'avoiding the instabilitywhich obtained where rollers were used, so that'there is less Adanger f drawers tendingto drift open when closed. Furthermore, with square blocks centrally pivoted on the slide rails, it is obvious that Vwhen the slide 'blocks become' worntoV an apprev"ciable vextent on one side they can be turned to .present a new` surface for wear and,hence,' the square slide blocks afford many times the amount 'of service obtainable with rollers.

icabinets to facilitate assembling.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyf ing drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view' of one of a pair of drawer slides made in accordance with my invention, an intermediate portion of the structure on a larger scale;

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction drawer being illustrated in both figures and a 4of the arrows, a lower corner portion of the portion of the adjacent wall of the cabinet being also shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional detail on' the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a side 'View looking at the inner side of a companion drawer slide structure.l

The same reference'numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

The reference numeral 6 in Figs. 2 and 3 designates a portion of a drawer adapted to be's'up'- ported at opposite sides by drawerv slide structures indicated generally by the reference numerals 1 and 8 within a sheet metal or othercabinet, portions of which are indicated at 9 and 9a in Figs. 1 and 2. The left hand drawer structure 1, showno'n' a smaller scale in Fig. 5, it will be 'understood is a companion for the right hand drawer structure 8 shown on a larger scale in Fig. 1, and, therefore, corresponding parts in these two views are numbered alike.

Each drawer slide structure comprisesV astationary guide rail I0 and a movable sliderail II. The guide rail'l has a slide block I2 pivotally mounted at I3 in the front end thereof, whereas the slide rail II has a slide block I4 pivotally mounted in the rear end thereof, as at I5. The slide rail II has a lower inwardly directed horizontal flange I6 for support of the drawer thereon and has an upper horizontal outwardly projecting flange I I providing a track surface 'I8 on the underside thereof on which the slide block I2 is arranged to operate. The outer edge of the flange I'I is bent downwardly as atV I9 to limit lateral displacement of the slide rail Il relative to the Slide *b10ck`I2, the block` |'2 having a yreduced central hub portion 20 to space .the'main body p0rtionfoftheblock with respect tov the vguiderail III 'so -that .the edge portionlll of-the flange I Thas'working clearance between thesli'de block I2 and the guide rail I'U,a"s clearly appears in Fig. 2; .The guide rail I 0 throughout the major 'portionrof the` length thereof has the channel cross-section shown in Fig. 3, providing the upper lhorizontal flange' 2| with 'a track surface' 22 on the vbottom thereof andthe` lower horizontal flange 23 withthe track'surface 24 on the top thereof, the slide block I4 on the slide rail 'II operating between the surfaces 22 and 24 with working clearance and being arranged to vslide along the surface 24 when'the drawer is past Atlrieymidpoint in closing, but being adapted to slide on the surface 22 when the drawer ispas't the midpoint'in opening. An upturned outer edge portion 25 on the lower flange 23 cooperates with between the rails I and I I in the same manner as the edge portion I9 on the rail II as previously described. The block I4 has a reduced neck portion 2i] similarly as the block I2 to space the main body portion of the block with respect to the slide rail II and allow adequate working clearance between the block and rail for the edge portion of the flange 23, as clearly appears in Fig. 3.

When the drawer is pulled out as far as it will go, a struck-in eyebrow projection 25 on the slide rail II forwardly spaced from the rear slide block I 4 strikes the front slide block I2 and serves as a limiting stop, whereupon the drawer may be lifted, pivoting on the pivots I5 of lthe rear slide blocks I4 to raise the stop projections 26 clear of the front slide blocks I3 and thus permit withdrawal of the drawer with the two slide rails II from the two guide rails I0. It will be noticed that the guide rails I0 have their upper flanges 2| cut across, as at '21, in rearwardly spaced relation to the front slide blocks I2 and that the front portions 2Ia of these flanges on the two guide rails I0 are bent upwardly so as to provide an opening in the top of the front end portions of the guide rails I0 through which the rear end portions of the slide rails I I can be `entered or removed in the insertion Vor removal of the drawer. The lower flange 23 is also cut across near the front end -of the guide rail I0, as indicated at 28, and the front portion of the flange is bent downwardly into the same Vertical plane with the flange 2Ia as at 23a. The flanges 2Ia and 23a are perforated, as indicated at 29 and 30, to receive screws 3I for fastening the front end of the guide rails IEI to the adjacent side walls 32 of the cabinet 9. A tongue 33 is struck out from the vertical plane Vof the web portion 34 of each guide rail I0 at the rear end thereof, and is arranged to be entered in a notch 35 provided in the front edge 36 of an upright member 31 in the rear of the cabinet, both guide rails I0 being thus adapted for quick and easy assembling in the cabinet at their `rear ends, following which 'the screws 3| are entered through the holes 29 and 30 in the front ends to fasten the rails I0 in place, The rear end portion of the upper flange II Aof each of the slide rails I-I is out away. as indicated at 38 in Fig. 5, to expose the top of the slide block I4 for engagement with the track surface 22 on the bottom of the flange 2I In operation, the two pairs of slide blocks I2 and I4 slidably support the drawer 6 by means of the slide rails lI I, cooperating with the guide rails I0 in the manner described. With the drawer supported on the elongated top Vsurfaces of the blocks I2 and the elongated bottom su.'- faces of the blocks I4, there is sufficient stability so that the drawer is not apt lto drift open, and, hence, the usual :safeguards necessary with other constructions may be eliminated with a proportlonate saving in cost, the simplification being also of advantage from the standpoint that it eliminates another 'possible source Vof trouble should the latch or other means provided for that purpose fail kto function properly. The drawer is found to slide open easily and smoothly because the fibre slide blocks I2 and I4 in their operation on the track surfaces I8 and 24 wipe these surfaces clear of dirt and grit, whereas rollers grind the dirt and grit between the 'rollers and the track surface, thus giving resistance t0 easy movement and causing excessive wear on `the contacting parts. The avoidance of metal to metal Acontact is furthermore of advantage from the standpoint of quiet operation, the fiber blocks I2 and I4 having a distinct sound deadening action. Where metal rollers were used in metal to metal contact with the slides, they had a tendency to transmit sound to the cabinet as a sounding board, thus producing the familiar rumbling noise. The fiber blocks slide 0n the metal track surfaces with very little friction and, if desired, the surfaces may be coated with graphite or other lubricant to make for still easier operation and reduce wear to a minimum. The rounded or chamfered edges on the blocks I2 and I4 insure sliding contact of the blocks on the track surfaces I8, 22, and 24 in spaced relation to the flanges I 9 and 25 on the guide rails, so that the fillets at the juncture of these flanges with the track surfaces will not interfere with the easy operation of the drawer slide. The decreased unit bearing pressure afforded by the length of bearing contact on each slide block, as distinguished from the high unit bearing pressure existing with the line contact of rollers on tracks, also accounts for the easy operation and decreased wear obtained with the present construction. The blocks I2 and I4 being square afford at least two diametrically opposed working surfaces on each and, hence, when the blocks have worn down to an appreciable extent on one side, the drawer can be removed and the blocks turned around through to present new surfaces for wear, thus greatly lncreasing the life of the structure. Four working surfaces may be provided on each block, if desired. When the drawer is pulled out beyond the half-way point, the slide blocks I 4 shift from con tact with the lower track surfaces 24 to the upper track surfaces 22, thus supporting the drawer against sagging. The outward movement is limited by the engagement of the stops 26 with the backs of the blocks I2. The drawer when pulled out as far as it will go can be readily removed by raising the front end so as to move the stops 26 upwardly clear of the tops of the blocks I 2, whereupon the drawer can be pulled out still farther and is removable once the rear slide blocks I4 are moved to a position close to the blocks I 2, the blocks I4 finding support on the lower flanges 23 of the guide rails I0 all the way out and being movable upwardly out of said rails past the front ends of the upper flanges 2 I.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A drawer slide structure comprising in combination with a guide rail providing `upper and lower-horizontal longitudinal track surfaces and a companion slide rail providing an upper hori zontal longitudinal vtrack surface, of a pair of prismatic slide blocks, each presenting a plurality of elongated surfaces on the periphery thereof for sliding engagement with a support, one pivoted on the front end of the guide rail for sliding engagement of one of its elongated peripheral surfaces with the upper 4track surface on the slide rail `and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement of peripheral surfaces on opposite sides thereof interchangeably with the lower and upper track surfaces on the guide rail.

2. A drawer slide structure comprising in combination with a metallic guide rail formed to provide upper and lower horizontal longitudinal flanges providing track surfaces thereon, and a companion metallic slide rail formed .to provide an upper horizontal longitudinal flange providing a track surface thereon, :of a pair of noninetallic prismatic slide blocks, each presenting a plurality of elongated surfaces on the periphery thereof for sliding engagement with a support, one pivoted on the front end of .the guide rail for sliding engagement of one of its elongated peripheral surfaces with the upper track surface on the slide rail and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement of peripheral surfaces on opposite sides thereof interchangeably with the lower and upper track surfaces on .fthe guide rail.

3. A drawer slide structure comprising in cornbination with a guide rail providing upper and lower horizontal longitudinal track surfaces and a companion slide rail providing 'an upper horizontal longitudinal track surface, of a pair of slide blocks, one pivoted on the front end of the guide rail for sliding engagement with rthe upper track surface on the slide rail and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement interchangeably with the lower and upper track surfaces on th-e guide rail, the slide blocks being of regular polygonal form, each providing elongated bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof and substantially equidistant from the .pivot point, whereby the blocks may be turned from one operative position to another to present unused bearing surfaces for use after other bearing surfaces have been worn.

4. A drawer slide structure comprising in combination with a metallic guide rail formed to provide upper and lower horizontal longitudinal flanges providing track surfaces thereon, and a companion metalic slide rail formed to provide an upper horizontal longitudinal flange providing a track surface thereon, of a pair of nonmetallic slide blocks, one pivoted on the front end of the guide rail for sliding engagement with the upper track surface on the slide rail and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement interchangeably with the lower and upper track surfaces on the guide rail, the slide blocks being of regular polygonal form, each providing elongated bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof and substantially equidistant from the pivot point, whereby the blocks may be turned from one operative position to another to present unused bearing surfaces for use after other bearing surfaces have been worn.

5. A drawer slide structure comprising in combination with a guide rail providing upper and lower horizontal longitudinal track surfaces and a companion slide rail providing an upper horizontal longitudinal track surface, of a pair of slide blocks, one pivoted on the front end of the guide rail for sliding engagement with the upper track surface on the slide rail and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement interchangeably with .the lower and upper track surfaces on the guide rail, the slide blocks each having a plurality of elongated Abearing surfaces provided thereon, arranged upon turning of the block from one operative position to another to be presented for engagement with the track surfaces interchangeably.

6. A drawer slide structure ,comprising in combination with a metallic guide rail formed to provide upper and lower horizontal longitudinal flanges providing track surfaces thereon, yand a ycompanion metallic slide rail formed to provide 'an upper horizontal longitudinal flange providing a track surface thereon, of a pair of non- 4metallic slide blocks, one pivoted on the front end of the guide rail for sliding engagement with the upper track surface on the slide rail and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail for sliding engagement interchangeably with the lower and upper track surfaces on the guide rail, the slide blocks each having a ,plurality o-f elongated bearing .surf aces provided thereon, Iarranged upon turning of the block from one operative position to another to be presented for engagement with the track surfaces interchangeably.

7. A drawer slide structure comprising, in combination, a guide rail for-med to provide upper .and lower horizontal longitudinal track surfaces thereon, a companion slide rail formed to provide an upper horizontal longitudinal track surface thereon, and a pair of slide blocks one mounted on the front end of the guide rail having an elongated top surface for sliding engagement with the upper track surface on the slide rail and the other mounted on the rear end of the slide rail having substantially parallel elongated top and bottom surfaces for sliding engagement interchangeably with the upper and lower track surfaces on .the guide rail.

8. A :drawer slide structure comprising, in combination, =a metallic guide rail formed to provide upper and lower horizontal longitudinal track surfaces thereon, a companion metallic slide rail formed to provide an upper horizontal longitudinal track surface thereon, and a pair of non-metallic slide blocks, one mounted on the front end of the guide rail having an elongated top surface for sliding enga-gement with the upper track surface on the slide rail, and the other mounted on the rear end of .fthe slide rail having substantially parallel elongated top and bottom surfaces for sliding engagement interchangeably with the upper and lower track surfaces on the guide rail.

9. A .drawer slide structure comprising, in combination, a metallic guide rail formed to provide upper and lower horizontal longitudinal track surfaces thereon, acompanion metallic slide rail formed to provide an upper horizontal longitudinal trackl surface thereon, and a pair of nonmetallic slide blocks, one pivoted on .the front end of the guide rail having an elongated top surface for sliding engagement with the upper track surface on the slide rail, and the other pivoted on the rear end of the slide rail having substantially parallel elongated .top and botftom surfaces for sliding engagement interchangeably .with the upper and lower track surfaces on the guide rail.

MELVIN I-I. BAK-OW. 

